Pit stop bag

ABSTRACT

An exemplary embodiment includes a framework of straps designed to substantially enclose a rectangular gasoline can or similar object, and to which bags may be attached to contain tools, accessories for the machine to be powered by the gasoline in the can, or bottles of water and snacks for the user. The straps are secured to each other at generally right angles, and the bags may be removable.

BACKGROUND

One very useful embodiment of the Invention relates to the followingfield, although the Invention may also relate to other fields. Oneversion of the Invention is a bag which attaches to a gasoline can, andwhich contains various pockets for holding tools and other articlesneeded by the user.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

The following examples of related art and its limitations areillustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related artwill become apparent to those skilled in the art upon study of thespecification and drawings of this Application. There are numerous toolbags which have appeared over the years including one which acts like atool belt for holding tools, and it wraps around a 5 gallon bucket usedby carpenters. The present Invention is different because it fits onrectangular containers or objects like gas cans, and it has actualpockets that may zipper shut for securely holding tools and other items.Somewhat similar devices are shown at www.toolcanbag.com; however, thestructures are different because they are designed for attachment to adifferent shape of gas can, and are not as secure because fewer strapsare used.

SUMMARY

One of the more widely useful embodiments of the present Invention maybe summarized as follows. This embodiment is exemplary only. Otherembodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon studyof the specification and drawings of this Application. A version of theInvention is a framework, typically made of fabric, and comprisingstraps and buckles of various kinds. The framework is adapted to attachto a gasoline can of a shape typically used in the United States. Theframework also may contain bags with pockets of various sizes and shapesfor holding tools, and other articles for the user such as a bottle ofwater and snacks. The bag pockets may also hold attachments, tools andaccessories for a power tool to be powered by the gasoline contained inthe can. In addition, the bag pocket may be large enough to hold thepower tool itself, or the bag may have straps and buckles capable ofattaching a power tool to the framework in addition to the gasoline can.

An important version and use of the Invention relates to off-roadmotorcycle races. At these races there are periodic pit stops, which cansometimes be in the middle of nowhere and there may not be any actualpit crew or vehicles at the location, but simply a gas can used to topoff the tank of the motorcycle before heading out again. Before the raceeven starts, all riders put a gas can with their race number on it on abig trailer. Volunteers drive the trailer out to the pit stop area,sometimes 30 or so miles away, and arrange the cans in numerical orderso that when the motorcycle riders arrive at the pit stop location, theyknow which gas can belongs to them, and can use the gas in the can torefuel their motorcycles. Sometimes at the stop location, some ridershave a drink and a snack. A significant aspect of the Invention is aframework which fits around the gas can with a series of straps andbuckles. The attached bags also contain a number of pockets or holdersfor related accessories such as tools, goggles, additional drinks andsnacks.

PURPOSES AND ADVANTAGES

The purposes and advantages of the more widely useful embodiments of thepresent Invention include, but are not limited to, the following, andmay include other purposes and advantages in different fields of use:

-   1. To provide a device for attaching bags containing tools,    accessories, water bottles and snacks to gasoline cans.-   2. To provide a device which is made of inexpensive materials and is    easy and cheap to make.-   3. To provide a device which can be tightened around a can or other    object, and securely carried along with the can or object without    falling off or spilling the contents of the bags of the device.-   4. To provide a device which is light weight and of flexible shape.-   5. To provide a device which can easily and securely attach to a    water jug used for rafting or camping, or even a smaller food    cooler.-   6. To provide a device with adjustable straps to fit cans or    containers of different sizes and shapes.-   7. To provide a device with up to four bags containing different    objects.-   8. To provide a device with removable bags, so that one may use only    the number of bags needed.-   9. To provide a framework comprising two pairs of straps around the    can, with the pairs intersecting at right angles and providing a    secure rectangular framework which will not slip off the can, and to    which bags can be securely attached.-   10. To provide a device which can be attached to European style gas    cans; whereas similar devices for European style gas cans cannot be    attached to American rectangular style gas cans.

DRAWING FIGURES

FIGS. 1 through 5 show various plan views of the Invention as attachedto a rectangular gasoline can.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

-   1 gas can-   2 gas can handle-   3 gas can spout fitting-   4 straps-   5 strap attachment means-   6 bag securement means-   7 bag zipper or flap overlap-   8 gas can cap-   9 strap adjustment buckle-   10 bag

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This Brief Description and the Detailed Description cover only someembodiments of the Invention, and other embodiments will be clear tothose skilled in the art from the description, drawings, and Alternativeand Additional Embodiments. The Drawings are illustrative and notlimiting.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the Invention attached to a rectangular gascan.

FIG. 2 is a front end side view of the Invention attached to arectangular gas can.

FIG. 3 is a back end side view of the Invention attached to arectangular gas can.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the Invention attached to a rectangular gas can.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the Invention attached to a rectangular gascan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the Invention attached to a rectangular gas can1, having gas can handle 2, gas can spout fitting 3, and gas can cap 8.A standard gas can spout (not shown) can be attached to gas can spoutfitting 3 by removing gas can cap 8. The Figure shows a generallyrectangular framework of straps 4, with a pair of straps 4 extendingvertically up the side of gas can 1, and another pair of straps 4extending horizontally across the side of gas can 1. The verticallyextending straps 4 continue across the top of gas can 1 (not shown), anddown the opposite side of the gas can (not shown), underneath the bottomof gas can 1 (not shown), and again up the side of gas can 1, shown inthe Figure. The horizontally extending straps 4 continue around thecircumference of the can, thus extending around the front side of thecan (not shown), the opposite side of the can to the one shown in FIG. 1(not shown) and also around the back side of the can (not shown). Thevertically extending pair of straps 4 connects to the horizontallyextending pair of straps 4 at straps attachment means 5, four of whichare shown in FIG. 1. The strap attachment means 5 could be stitching, orfor adjustable devices, fabric loops through which the straps pass. Alsoshown in FIG. 1 is the bag 10 which may contain tools, bottles of water,snacks, or accessories used in connection with the machine fueled by thegas can. In FIG. 1 the four intersecting straps 4 are shown in dottedlines underneath bag 10. Also shown in dotted lines underneath bag 10are strap attachment means 5 and bag securement means 6. FIG. 1 alsoshows a bag zipper 7 which may be opened to gain access into bag and toremove its contents. Alternatively, part 7 may represent an overlappingflap on the outside surface of the bag, the flap extending from the topof the bag part way down the side of the bag, and secured to the outsidesurface of bag 10 by means of Velcro pairs (not shown), buckles, buttonand button holes, snap button pairs, or similar means known to thoseskilled in the art as described below.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the front of gas can 1, showing gas can spoutfitting 3 and gas can cap 8. Also shown are two horizontal straps 4 andstrap adjustment buckles 9. Strap adjustment buckles 9 enable the straps4 to be properly sized for the circumference of gas can 1. Once thestraps 4 are placed around the circumference of gas can 1, the strapadjustment buckles 9 are used to tighten the straps 4 around thecircumference of the can. FIG. 3 is a side view of the back of gas can1. Gas can spout fitting 3 and gas can cap 8 are not shown at the top ofthe Figure. Two horizontal straps 4 extend across the back and gas can1, and extend around the entire circumference of gas can 1 (not shown).The bag 10 is shown attached to the two horizontal straps 4 by bagsecurement means 6. Portions of straps 4 and bags securement means 6 areshown in dotted lines because they are behind bag 10. Bag zipper or flapoverlap 7 is shown, and is discussed in the description of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of gas can 1 showing gas can handle 2, gas canspout fitting 3 and gas can cap 8 on the top surface of the can. Twoparallel straps 4 are shown extending across the top of can 1; theirlength and tightness are adjustable by strap adjustment buckles 9. Thepair of straps 4 also extend down the two sides of gas can 1 and thebottom of gas can 1 (not shown).

FIG. 5 is a view of the bottom of gas can 1 with a pair of straps 4extending parallel to each other across the bottom of the can 1. Thepair of straps 4 also extends across both sides of can 1 and across thetop of can 1 as shown in FIG. 4.

Description—Preferred Embodiment

The strap attachment means 5 could consists of stitching placed in thestraps which intersect at right angles in order to secure them to eachother. Alternatively, strap attachment means could comprise fabric loopsattached to one set of straps, and through which the other straps passat right angles. The bag securement means 6 may be Velcro pairs, withone Velcro element attached to the bag 10 and the other attached tostrap attachment means 5. The bag securement means 6 could also befabric loops attached to the back of bag 10 so that straps 4 may passthrough them and thus secure bag 10 to straps 4. The straps 4 wouldtypically be made of fabric or woven webbing. The bag 10 would typicallybe made of natural or artificial fiber fabric. The strap adjustmentbuckle 9 would be well known to those skilled in the art. The strapadjustment buckles 9 may be connected to a male-female strap quickrelease (not shown) well known to those skilled in the art. Such a strapquick release would enable the framework of straps to be quickly openedto more easily insert or remove the can 1 from the strap framework.

Operation of One Embodiment

The Invention would be attached to gas can 1 by loosening strapadjustment buckles 9 enough so that the can 1 can be inserted eitherbetween the pair of straps 4 on the bottom surface of the Invention asshown in FIG. 5, or between the pair of straps 4 on the top of theInvention as shown in FIG. 4. After the can is inserted into theInvention, strap adjustment buckles 9 are tightened so that all of thestraps 4 are in secure position around the circumference of gas can 1.There may also be strap adjustment buckles 9 in the pair of straps 4shown on the top of gas can 1 in FIG. 4. By means of the buckles 9, thestraps 4, extending around the perimeter of can 1 from the top surface,across one side surface, under the bottom surface and up the oppositeside surface of gas can 1, can be adjusted to fit various size gas cans.The strap adjustment buckles may have male-female quick releasesattached to them to facilitate insertion and removal of the can 1 asdiscussed above.

Tests

The Applicant has built the Invention with fabric bags and straps andbuckles and has successfully attached it to a standard rectangular gascan as used in the United States. Bags which comprise part of theInvention contained tools, a water bottle, and snacks for participantsin a motorcycle race. The Invention stayed securely attached to the gascan, and the entire assembly was easily transported by grasping thehandle of the gas can.

Additional Embodiments

Different materials for the bags 10 could be used. Different ways ofadjusting the length of straps 4 could be used. Different bag securementmeans could be use to secure the bags to the straps. Different strapattachment means could be used as part 5. These different materials, andmeans, etc. would be well known to those skilled in the art. TheInvention could have a different size and shape so as to attach to otherobjects besides a rectangular gas can. For attachment to some otherobjects, there may be different number of straps, and the straps may beplaced differently around the object. The bags may be closable byzippers, flaps, buttons and button holes, snap button pairs, Velcropairs, straps and buckles, or other means known to those skilled in theart

A homeowner could use the Invention on the gas can for a mower; thosewho are active with jet skis and water skis could use it for keeping oiland tools for water ski boats; landscape companies can use it forsparkplugs and tools for weed whackers; and rafters can use theInvention on 5 gallon water jugs for overnight raft trips.

Conclusions, Ramifications and Scope

A number of changes are possible to the parts described above whilestill remaining within the scope and spirit of the Invention. Thespecifics about the form of the Invention described in this Application(including the specifics in the Summary, Abstract, Preferred Embodiment,Additional Embodiments, and Alternative Embodiments) are examples andare not intended to be limiting in scope. Those skilled in the art willrecognize certain modifications, permutations, additions, subtractionsand sub-combinations thereof. The scope of the Invention is to bedetermined by the claims and their legal equivalents, not the examples,purposes, summary, preferred embodiments, alternative or additionalembodiments, operation, tests, etc. given above. It is intended that theclaims are interpreted to include all such modifications, additions,subtractions, permutations and sub-combinations as are within their truespirit and scope.

1. A flexible framework for attachment to a substantially rectangularobject having three perpendicular axes, comprising: (a) one or moresubstantially narrow straps extending around the object in a planeperpendicular to one axis of the object, (b) one or more substantiallynarrow straps extending around the object in a plane perpendicular toanother axis of the object, and (c) one or more bags attached to theframework by bag securement means, wherein the straps in (a) and (b)intersect each other in two areas on opposite sides of the object, andwherein pairs of straps intersecting each other at substantially rightangles are attached to each other in those two areas by permanent orsliding strap attachment means.
 2. A flexible framework for attachmentto a substantially rectangular object having three perpendicular axes,comprising: (a) two or more substantially narrow straps, substantiallyparallel to each other, extending around the object in a planeperpendicular to one axis of the object, (b) two or more substantiallynarrow straps, substantially parallel to each other, extending aroundthe object in a plane perpendicular to another axis of the object, and(c) one or more bags attached to the framework by bag securement means,wherein the straps in (a) and (b) intersect each other in two areas onopposite sides of the object, and wherein pairs of straps intersectingeach other at substantially right angles are attached to each other inthose two areas by permanent or sliding strap attachment means.
 3. Thedevice of claim 1, further comprising strap adjustment buckles in saidstraps whereby the length of the straps and snugness around the objectmay be adjusted.
 4. The device of claim 2, further comprising strapadjustment buckles in said straps whereby the length of the straps andsnugness around the object may be adjusted.
 5. The device of claim 3,wherein the bags include a closable flap, zipper, button and buttonhole,snap button pair, or Velcro pair, for opening and closing said bags. 6.The device of claim 4, wherein the bags include a closable flap, zipper,button and buttonhole, snap button pair, or Velcro pair, for opening andclosing said bags.
 7. The device of claim 5, wherein the strapattachment means is stitching through a pair of intersecting straps, oris a loop attached to one strap through which the intersecting strap mayslide.
 8. The device of claim 6, wherein the strap attachment means isstitching through a pair of intersecting straps, or is a loop attachedto one strap through which the intersecting strap may slide.
 9. Thedevice of claim 7, further comprising a male-female quick releasemechanism in one or more straps, whereby one or more straps may beopened to facilitate entry or exit of the object into or out of theframework.
 10. The device of claim 8, further comprising a male-femalequick release mechanism in one or more straps, whereby one or morestraps may be opened to facilitate entry or exit of the object into orout of the framework.
 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the bagsecurement means comprises (a) a Velcro pair wherein one Velcro elementis attached to the bag and the other Velcro element is attached to thestrap attachment means or strap, or (b) a loop attached to the bagsthrough which straps may pass.
 12. The device of claim 2, wherein thebag securement means comprises (a) a Velcro pair wherein one Velcroelement is attached to the bag and the other Velcro element is attachedto the strap attachment means or strap, or (b) a loop attached to thebags through which a strap may pass.
 13. The device of claim 1, whereinthe device is sized and shaped to fit around a substantially rectangularhollow container.
 14. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is sizedand shaped to fit around a substantially rectangular hollow container.15. The device of claim 3, wherein the device is sized and shaped to fitaround a substantially rectangular hollow container.
 16. The device ofclaim 4, wherein the device is sized and shaped to fit around asubstantially rectangular hollow container.
 17. The device of claim 5,wherein the device is sized and shaped to fit around a substantiallyrectangular hollow container.
 18. The device of claim 6, wherein thedevice is sized and shaped to fit around a substantially rectangularhollow container.
 19. The device of claim 7, wherein the device is sizedand shaped to fit around a substantially rectangular hollow container.20. The device of claim 8, wherein the device is sized and shaped to fitaround a substantially rectangular hollow container.
 21. The device ofclaim 11, wherein the device is sized and shaped to fit around asubstantially rectangular hollow container.
 22. The device of claim 12,wherein the device is sized and shaped to fit around a substantiallyrectangular hollow container.
 23. The device of claim 7, wherein two ormore straps are used and can be positioned to pass over the top of therectangular hollow container.
 24. The device of claim 8, wherein two ormore straps are used and can be positioned to pass over the top of therectangular hollow container.